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California, here we come—right back where Adam Brody and Leighton Meester's relationship started from.

While the couple tend to keep details of their marriage private, The O.C. actor recently recounted the story of how he met the Gossip Girl actress.

As Brody explained to Penn Badgley, Meester's former co-star on The CW drama, on the April 12 episode of Stitcher Studios' Podcrushed, he first encountered her at Canter's Deli in Los Angeles, where she was dining with Gossip Girl creator Josh Schwartz—who also created The O.C.—and her castmates.

"That's when I saw her," the Shazam! star recalled, "and yeah I was smitten instantly."

However, Brody and Meester's romance didn't blossom.

"I was, you know, smitten for a long time," the Jennifer's Body alum, who co-starred with Meester in the 2011 movie The Oranges, continued. "I didn't get to know her for many years after, even though we even worked together briefly. She's so lovely, and she's so sweet. She's so nice. She's so good. And yet—and this is to her credit—she remained elusive to me for so long and aloof."

Still, Brody, 43, said Meester, 37, has since told him the crush was mutual. 

"I couldn't get a total read because, even though she professes to have been interested in me and all those things, not only did she not pursue that—I mean, she was perfectly willing to let that never happen," he shared. "Yeah, she was perfectly willing to let that message in the bottle return to sea at several points."

The reason Meester didn't make a move? "She says, 'Oh, it's because I knew if we did, it would be a thing,'" Brody said. "'You know, it's too powerful.'"

However, Badgley wasn't convinced, telling him with a laugh, "That's a line." And Brody agreed, adding, "That's what I said."

Fast-forward to today and Brody and Meester have been married for almost a decade and share two children: daughter Arlo, 7, and a 2-year-old son.

To look back at their love story, keep scrolling.

After Leighton Meester unsuccessfully hid from paparazzi in Adam Brody's car, the pair let go of their shyness and openly flaunted some sweet PDA while heading to a Mexican restaurant.

 

As romance rumors continued to swirl, the pair declined to publicly comment on the status of their relationship. But you know what they say, a picture's worth a thousand words.

After keeping under the radar for months, the twosome resurfaced in New York City together.

They may have never confirmed their relationship, but Brody put a diamond on his lady's finger. Nearly a month after the engagement news broke, the pair were photographed stealing a smooch in South Africa.

The notoriously private couple pulled the ultimate gotcha on Hollywood by getting married in a super-secretive ceremony. Congrats!

Meester supported her handsome beau at the premiere of his movie Shazam. No doubt their daughter, Arlo, loves that her dad is a superhero!

Brody previously shared that becoming a father with Meester is "the best in every way."

In their spare time, this couple enjoys giving back to their community, although they aren't ones to actively publicize their good deeds.

After working on 2011's The Oranges, the two once again reunited on the set of Meester's show Single Parents. In his guest role, Brody played Meester's ex. 

Privacy rules in this famous household. While the couple never announced they were expecting baby No. 2, Brody confirmed in September 2020 that his wife gave birth to their second child. 

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